Ditching-plow



(No Model.)

G. L. FLORA.

DITGHING PLOW.

Patented Mar. 2,7897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L. FLORA, OF BURGOON, OHIO.

DITCHING-PLOW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,947, dated March 2,1897. Application filed May 22, 1896. Serial No. 592,627. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. FLORA, a citizen of the United States,residing at Burgoon, in the county of Sandusky and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Ditching-Flows; and Idohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will en able others skilledin the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to ditching-plows.

The ditching machinery now upon the market is so expensive that thereare very few people who can afford to own the same. It is the purpose ofmy invention to produce such a machine which shall be within the reachof all and at the same time shall be simple in construction andeffective in operation.

The invention consists of a kerf-cutting wheel of large diameter and aframe mounted upon the shaft of said wheel, one part of which surroundsthe grooved periphery of said wheel through an arc of about one hundredand eighty degrees and carries at its lower end a plow-point or cutterand forms with said wheel a passage-way through which the earth plowedup by the point is led and discharged to the side of the ditch.

It also consists of other combinations and arrangements ofinstrumentalities, as will be hereinafter more fully described andclaimed.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is aside'elevation of my device complete. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection through the same. Fig. 3 is a detail cross-sectional Viewthrough the kerfcutting wheel. Fig. 4 is atop plan view, partly brokenaway, showing the discharging-cute.

Like reference-numerals indicate like parts in the several views.

1 represents the main wheel, which is grooved along its periphery andprovided with flanges 2 2, which serve the function of cutting a kerf inthe earth as the machine passes along. This wheel is of large diameter,preferably about five feet, and is constructed of light strong material,such as steel.

Mounted on the axis 3 of said wheel is a frame 4, made up of a curvedstrip of sheet metal 5, which extends around the outside of the wheel 1,in close contact therewith, and carries at its lower end a plow-point 6.upper end of said strip of sheet metal is connected an angular-1yarranged dischargechute 7. The said frame 4 is also made up of bars 8 Sand handle-rods 9 9, as clearly shown. Also pivotally connected to theaxis 3 of the wheel 1 is a bifurcated draw-bar 10, which extends aroundeach side of the wheel 1 and thence to the front of the machine. At itsforward end this draw-bar may be provided with a clevis 11, to whichdoubletrees are connected in order that the draft-horses may pass one oneach side of the ditch as it is being formed. This draw-bar 10 is alsoconnected through strong coil-springs 11 with one of the rods 8 of whichthe frame 4 is made up. The rear end of one of the bifurcated arms ofthe draw-bar 10 has a segmental rack 12 formed thereon which meshes witha pinion 13, mounted in the frame 4 and carrying a ratchetwheel14 uponits outer end. This ratchetwheel 14 is itself engaged by aspring-actuated pawl 15, operated from a point adjacent to the handles 9through a bellcrank lever 15 and a pitman 16.

The operation of my device is as follows: The forward movement of themachine causes, by reason of the sharp peripheral flanges 2 on the wheel1, a kerf to be cut in the earth of a depth approximating the depth ofsaid The plow-point 6 cuts through to the under side of this earth andthe loose dirt is carried up by the revolution of the wheel 1 throughthe passage between the strip 5 and the groove of said wheel andafterward discharged to the side of the ditch from the chute 7. Themachine is guided by the operator from the handles 9, and the frame 4,carrying the plow 6, adjusted thereby to cut to any depth desired. YVhenit is desired to raise the frame and remove the point 6 from contactwith the earth, the pawl 15 is released To the l through the mechanismdescribed, and the springs 11 draw down the forward part of the frame 4and consequently raise. the rear part, upon which the plow-point 6 ismounted. It

may be well to note that the point 6 is closer to the periphery of thewheel 1 than any other part of the strip 5, so that anything that canpass by said point will be able to through the discharge-chute 7.

pass entirely Having now described my invention, what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a ditching-plow the combination of a kerf-cutting wheel having agrooved periphery and flanges on each side thereof, a frame mounted uponthe axis of said wheel, a metallic strip constituting a part of saidframe and partially surrounding the periphery of said wheel, aplow-point at the lower end of said strip, a bifurcated draw-barpivotally connected to the axis of said wheel and extending forwardly tothe front of the machine, springs connecting said draw-bar and saidframe, a segmental rack on the rear end CHARLES L. FLORA.

Vitn esses:

G. H. BARNT, GEORGE HIETT.

